Newsletter I May 2025

Kathleen and Lesli, along with the 2025-2026 Board, will be busy this summer preparing for the Fall and Spring meetings and fundraisers! The next newsletter will go out in August with the signup link for the September meeting.

Stay cool this summer and don't forget to check out the diverse range of summer programs the library offers for adults, teens, and children! There is always something GOOD happening at the library.

Rockwall County Library Website

Thank you to our renewed and new Business Members for 2025!

FOL Business Member plaques for display are available.

Contact Darlene Reed for more information.

Record Distributions for FOL

Friends was honored to present Marcine McCulley and Susan Laszynski with checks for a total of $27,500 at the Annual Meeting on May 13th. This was in addition to funds distributed earlier this year for capital improvements and the GED program supplies, for a total of $64,500!! This would not be possible without your support! Every meeting attended, fundraiser, and donation made makes this possible. Thank you for being a FRIEND!

*Funding from Friends of the Library applies to programs and capital improvements as determined by the funding source and approved by the board. Per our bylaws and 501 (c) (3) status, we do not fund the Rockwall County Library's operational expenses.

2025 Hartman Award Recipient

Dr. M. Joan Terry is a devoted and long-time member of Friends. Through the years she has demonstrated her love and support of the library with her leadership skills and talents. She was President of Friends in 1993 –1994 and 2022–2023. As President she was a strong advocate for the library speaking to many organizations to promote awareness of the programs our library offers to all age groups and the benefits it contributes to the lifestyle of our community.

While President she was instrumental in:

· Increasing the number of business and individual memberships.

· Implementation of new business membership categories to encourage larger contributions.

· Implementation of an annual program recognizing local school librarians during School Librarians Week.

· Updating the Friends website.

· The Friends’ office and storage areas were purged of old files, configured more efficiently, and updated to meet current requirements.

Congratulations, Dr. M. Joan Terry!

Thanks to all who attended and supported FRIENDS!

We cannot wait to see you in September!

Click the video to see all the SMILES.

The VP Communications is looking for 3-5 committee members.

Skills needed:

Google Drive/Management
Social Media
Canva
Constant Contact
Excel
Word
Meeting photography/editing
AV support for Tuesday lunch meetings at the library
WIX website support

Please send interest, availability and preferred skill(s) to friendsrockwallcountylibrary@gmail.com.

*Attendance at lunch meetings is not necessary for all tasks.

MEMBERSHIP

Your membership is effective for one calendar year beginning in January. Membership directories are available from Jen Lewis. Next years 2026 directory will be distributed at the February meeting. 2026 Business Members will be recognized at the April meeting.

The 2026 membership drive will begin in SEPTEMBER for both Business members and Individuals. If you join between now and August 31st, this will apply to 2025 membership.

Save the date for September 9th, lunch meeting and speaker. The next newsletter will distribute mid-August with more detail.

Name Tags for Members!

Magnetic Name Tags are available for members for $7.00. Click button below to order.

Any Nametags ordered between now and September 1st will be available for pickup at the September 9th meeting.

Paper stick on nametags will always be available at Friends meetings.

Click Here and scroll to end of events page to order a Name Tag

Library Hours:

Monday 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Tuesday 10:00AM - 8:00PM

Wednesday 10:00AM - 6:00PM

Thursday 10:00AM - 8:00PM

Friday 10:00AM - 5:00PM

Saturday 10:00AM - 4:00PM

Sunday - Closed

Rockwall County Library website

Friends Book Club meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 9:30 at the library. Contact Joan Wells or Gloria Daniels for more information at FriendsRockwallCountyLibrary@gmail.com.

2025

January – The Women by Kristen Hannah

February – The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts

March – 13 Days to Glory: The Siege of the Alamo by Lon Tinkle

April – Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

May – What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline

June – First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

July – The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

August – The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

September – The Stalker by Sara Alderson

October – The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

November – The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride by Joe Siple

December – Christmas Traditions

Literacy Center

The Adult Literacy Program Library office is in the foyer of the Rockwall County Library. The Program provides classes for GED preparation, English as a Second Language, Citizenship, and basic literacy. Classes take place six days a week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with the strong support of our community partner, First United Methodist Church of Rockwall.

If you are interested in being a tutor or other volunteer support staff member, contact Nancy Goodsell at 972-204-7705 or email ngoodsell@rockwallcountytexas.com. It is not necessary to be fluent in a foreign language.

Book Alcove

The Book Alcove is accepting book donations every day the Library is open.

Suggested donations are collected and used for library programs. The selection is ever changing, come take a look and bring some books to donate too.

FICTION TITLES ARE NEEDED!

Friends of the Library is proud to partner with Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County to offer homebound clients books through the Book Alcove. Lynn Fate manages this program and carefully selects books per genre or title requests and they are delivered each month with meal delivery. Donations matter. Keep this in mind as you clean out your collections.

Books for the May delivery with Meals on Wheels Senior Services of Rockwall County are being prepared by Lynn and her volunteers.

*Fiction titles and large print books are in demand for this program. If you have any to donate, please take to the Library and mark them as "Meals on Wheels." They can be left with the Circulation Desk.

2025-2026 Friends of the Library Board

left - right: Marcine McCulley, Carrie Pickell, Kathleen Evans, Kelli Delozier, Lea Carlson, Kathleen Broze, Darlene Reed, Shannon Wilson, Nancy Barnett, Jen Lewis, Laura Robison-Houser, Leigh Wilcoxson, Lesli Johnson

Friends of the Library | www.friendsrockwall.com

friendsrockwallcountylibrary@gmail.com

P.O. Box 1371, Rockwall TX 75087

See what's happening on our social sites:

@friendsrockwall @rockwallcotxlibrary